Project Nothing

Essays

Approximately 2,667 Pieces

665 words3 min read35,063 words considered, 1 in 53 kept
?

What does “words considered” mean?

Every draft and rejected line the author read and judged to get this essay to you, counted from the record — nothing estimated. Here, one word in 53 survived. Not a claim about effort: the size of the pile this piece was selected from.

Retained pattern: rapid 37-degree head rotation, followed by equal redistribution of excess hair behind shoulders.
Frequency: 117.8 occurrences per day averaged across all observable years.
Removal affects behavioral prediction accuracy.

Observed: subject receives message from supervisor.
Auditory response: “Oh my God, I can’t do this right now.”
Frequency: 98%.
Removal affects behavioral prediction accuracy.

Retained pattern: tongue pressed rapidly against interior surface of teeth, producing audible vibration.
Frequency: approximately 480 occurrences per day across all observable years.
Removal affects behavioral prediction accuracy.

Retained pattern: on average, 3.0% of food remains on plate at completion of meal.
Observed range: 2.8–3.2% across all recorded meals.
Removal affects behavioral prediction accuracy.

Retained pattern: conditioner applied twice during same shower.
Sequence: second application occurs directly following completion of first application.
Frequency: 100% of recorded shower instances.
Removal affects behavioral prediction accuracy.

Retained pattern: significant food material deposited on floor during meals.
Subsequent event: material collected by electronic cleaning device.
Frequency: 5.6 occurrences per day across observable history.
Removal affects behavioral prediction accuracy.

Observed: paintbrush rests on top of empty canvas. Subject picks up paintbrush, holds it while looking at paint, then returns paintbrush to approximately original position.
Frequency: daily across observable history.
Retained: individual paintbrush identity.
Removal affects behavioral prediction accuracy.

Observed: photographs of subject and Janet at the Colosseum across 18 distinct dates.
Discarded: individual photographs.
Retained: Colosseum visit count: 18.

Observed: subject repeatedly composes messages to Robert@dragonslayermail.com, then deletes them before sending.
Discarded: individual message contents.
Retained: delete-before-send pattern.

Observed: repeated browsing of red lipstick products without purchase.
Discarded: individual product views.
Retained: potential interest pattern.

Observed: subject repeatedly requests reminder to go to sleeping station.
Response: reminder disregarded in more than 90% of observed cases.
Retained: requested bedtime and disregard pattern.
Removal affects behavioral prediction accuracy.

Observed: subject added Bali to to-go list after explicitly telling Janet she would “never be caught dead” in Southeast Asia.
Retained: destination interest and explicit rejection.
Contradiction affects behavioral prediction accuracy.

Observed: subject repeatedly references live-stream interview with favored makeup brand to friend groups.
Private record: subject writes that she hated the interview and would never do it again.
Retained: both accounts.
Contradiction affects behavioral prediction accuracy.

Observed: increasing accumulation of small linked metal objects stored in same parent container.
Discarded: individual object identity and acquisition history.
Retained: accumulation pattern and total count.

Observed: physical letters received, stored, and not reopened.
Discarded: individual letter contents.
Retained: letter-retention pattern.

Observed: oversized sweatshirt. Unworn and unmoved within closet across entire observable history.
Discarded: individual object identity.

Observed: subject remained at eating station for approximately two hours following meal completion.
Eye moisture: detected continuously from meal completion until unconsciousness.
Discarded: event duration and intermediate state.
Retained: meal-to-sleep transition.

Anomaly: window remained ajar during sleeping cycle.
Frequency: one occurrence across all observable sleeping cycles.
Retained: environmental deviation.

Observed: cheek contact following extended close-proximity interaction.
Frequency: one occurrence across all observable interactions.
Subsequent contact: limited to distant acknowledgement and brief verbal greeting.
Discarded: close-proximity anomaly.
Retained: distant greeting pattern.

Observed: six dried roses stored together in vase near window.
Variation: one flower differs in color from remaining five.
Retained: individual flower identity.

Observed during sleeping cycle: wind speed increased 80%, consistent with weather prognosis.
Airflow through open window exceeded floral material cohesion threshold.

Observed: single flower, moisture content 0.02%, separated from clustered flower unit.
Stem: remained within vase.
Detached floral material: exited premises under airflow direction.

Observed: outlying airflow speed subsided. Detached floral material continued descent to walking path below, reaching terminal velocity before impact.
Impact velocity: maximum.
Recategorized: single flower unit as approximately 2,667 pieces.

Observed: following morning nutrient ingestion, subject dusted table and adjusted vase in accordance with established morning routine.
Vase rotation: approximately 17 degrees, within normal parameters.
Positioning adjustment: within 1.2 centimeter deviation.
Sustained physical contact: approximately 3.2 seconds.

Remaining five-flower cluster: no observable pause or deviation.
Search behavior: absent.
Verbal reference: absent.
Corrective action: absent.
Prediction accuracy: unchanged.

Discarded: individual flower identity.
Retained: clustered flower unit.

— Van

Press if you read it.